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PLDROs Serve Up Stability in Mission-Critical Applications

Feb. 12, 2025

With applications in satcom, radar, transceivers, and more, Quantic MWD’s oscillators bring low phase noise and high stability to frequency-control and timing tasks in harsh environments.

David Maliniak

Related To: Microwaves & RF

The Overview: Stable Oscillators with Low Phase Noise

In its Whisper series of phase-locked, dielectric-resonator oscillators (PLDROs), Quantic MWD (Microwave Dynamics) offers designers a range of devices that deliver low phase-noise performance and a high degree of frequency stability. The PLDROs, which maintain their high level of performance in the harshest environments, offer fully customizable options with respect to phase-locked loops (PLLs) and tuning.

Who Needs It & Why: Mission-Critical Stability

These oscillators are designed for mission-critical frequency control and timing applications in severe environments. They’ll make good candidates for applications in satellite communications, radar systems, base stations, portable transceivers, and test equipment.

Under the Hood: Specs Suited to Stringent System Requirements

With a frequency range from 8 to 18 GHz (X-band and Ku-band), the Whisper series of PLDROs feature low phase noise of –110 dBc/Hz at the 10-kHz offset and –105 dBc/Hz at the 1-kHz offset. They’re available in space-qualified versions and operate from 0 to 50°C (standard). In addition to PLL and tuning options, there are options for external reference pairing with Quantic Wenzel’s oven-controlled crystal oscillators (OCXOs).

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About the Author

David Maliniak | Executive Editor, Microwaves & RF

I am Executive Editor of Microwaves & RF, an all-digital publication that broadly covers all aspects of wireless communications. More particularly, we're keeping a close eye on technologies in the consumer-oriented 5G, 6G, IoT, M2M, and V2X markets, in which much of the wireless market's growth will occur in this decade and beyond. I work with a great team of editors to provide engineers, developers, and technical managers with interesting and useful articles and videos on a regular basis. Check out our free newsletters to see the latest content.

You can send press releases for new products for possible coverage on the website. I am also interested in receiving contributed articles for publishing on our website. Use our contributor's packet, in which you'll find an article template and lots more useful information on how to properly prepare content for us, and send to me along with a signed release form.

About me:

In his long career in the B2B electronics-industry media, David Maliniak has held editorial roles as both generalist and specialist. As Components Editor and, later, as Editor in Chief of EE Product News, David gained breadth of experience in covering the industry at large. In serving as EDA/Test and Measurement Technology Editor at Electronic Design, he developed deep insight into those complex areas of technology. Most recently, David worked in technical marketing communications at Teledyne LeCroy, leaving to rejoin the EOEM B2B publishing world in January 2020. David earned a B.A. in journalism at New York University.